Page 3 of Riley

“Notice how the mention of Krista went right over your head, and you hyper-focused on her brother?” Abby cackles into the phone.

“Oh shut up, Abs. What did they want?”

“Oh, you know, the usual. ‘What kind of puppies do we have this week?’ ‘How’s the pregnancy?’ ‘When is Riley coming home?’ That’s just Adam, by the way. Krista asks about the baby more than about you.” My heart beats a little harder. Adam has been asking about me – a lot from what Abby says. I’d been trying so hard to forget the uncomfortable feelings that Adam evoked in me, and here it seems he’s been actively keeping an eye out for my return. I’m not sure how I feel about that. A part of me warms a little and sets my heart fluttering; another part sours in annoyance.

“Well, if he comes creeping again, tell him to get a hobby.”

“I’m not going to be mean to the guy, Ri. He seems nice enough. Besides, if you plan to stay friends with Krista, you will have to learn to get along with her brother. You know how close that family is.”

“If I couldn’t learn to get along with him up to this point, it’s just not going to happen, Abs. And Krista knows that. She thinks it’s fucking hilarious.”

“Sure, sure,” she hums. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Riley. Have a safe trip!”

“Alright, bye, Abs.”

***

The next day, I exit the terminal and see Krista, Shay, and Abby out front to pick me up. Shay is waving her arms over her head, and Abby is grinning at me with one hand on her stomach. She’s not noticeably showing yet, but I can tell she’s filled out a little. I hurry over to them and grab them each in a crushing hug before tossing my bag into the trunk. We all pile into Abby’s little Honda Accord and head home.

“So, I know you just got here, but I have to go to the doctor with Jake today for a check-up, and Shay has a meeting to acquire some new dogs, so you’ll be on your own for most of the day,” Abby says from the driver’s seat. Shay turns and looks at me from the passenger seat.

“Yeah, the shop is closed, so there isn’t anything pressing. You can spend the day getting settled, and we can talk about work tomorrow.”

Krista chimes in, “I wish I could hang out, but I have to work. We’re short-staffed, so I have had to take on a lot of extra hours lately.”

“It’s okay, guys. Maybe I’ll take a walk and reacquaint myself with the town. I didn’t do that much the last time I was here.”

The rest of the drive is relatively quiet. They drop me off at Abby’s place, and she passes me a spare key and smiles.

“The guestroom is all set up for you, and the fridge is fully stocked. I’ll be home later this evening.”

“Sounds good, Abs. You guys, be safe.” I wave as the car pulls away from the curb and heads down the street. I then pick up my bag and head into the house.

The guest room is spacious and done up in neutral earth-tones: beige walls and walnut floors, cream-colored bedding, and a dark wood dresser and writing desk. There’s plenty of room for my easel and paint supplies, too, when they arrive in the mail.

Since the shop is closed, I decide to go down to the local art supply store and grab a sketch pad to do some sketching while waiting for all of my belongings to come in the mail. I’m happy to have a shop within walking distance. It’ll make life easier since I don’t have a car. I never needed one in New York, but public transportation here isn’t great, and everything is pretty spread out. Eventually, I’ll have to suck it up and buy one.

An elderly couple runs the art supply store. They opened back in the late 1970s and have been a vital part of the community ever since. I learned about supplies from them when I was a kid and took the free art classes when I could. I see Sharon behind the counter, looking significantly older than the last time I saw her, but no less cheerful.

“My goodness, is that Riley Williams? Look at you all grown up!”

“It’s great to see you,” I say with a smile. “I just moved back, and I’m in desperate need of some sketching supplies.”

“Aisle 4, dear. Same as always.”

After I got what I needed, I bid Sharon a good day and headed to the park to people watch and get some drawing in. It had been one of my favorite things to do in New York; there was always such an interesting variety of people in the parks there.

Unfortunately, one of the only people in the park when I get there is Adam. He looks like he’s just finished a run, and he pulls his shirt over his head, using it to wipe the sweat from his face and neck before taking a few long drinks from his water bottle. His body is chiseled and tan, and it does things to my libido that I haven’t felt for anyone else in a long time. He spots me and hesitates a moment before jogging over.

“Hey,” he says with a small wave. I feel a simultaneous pull of annoyance and attraction.

“Hey,” I mutter back. We stand in awkward silence for a moment, and Adam rubs the back of his neck.

“So, you’re back.”

“Obviously.”

He frowns and runs a hand through his damp hair. “Back to stay this time?”

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